


Baby It's Cold Outside

by annies_hoodie



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: College AU, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-09
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-02-12 10:02:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12956871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annies_hoodie/pseuds/annies_hoodie
Summary: Annie sits in the same corner every day after class but some asshole with a guitar steals her spot.





	1. Chapter 1

Annie was _enraged_.

How _dare_ that asshole take her spot?!

From across the street, Annie glared at the black-haired stranger with as much ferocity and anger she could muster. Who was she to sit in Annie’s corner? (It’s not like Annie technically owned it or anything...just that she sat in the same corner every single day after her 6:00 PM lecture was over, waiting for the 6:40 bus home.) The girl could sit literally anywhere else across their vast campus...so why did she have to choose the one spot that Annie liked?

These were the questions Annie pondered as she swore under her breath, willing the girl to leave as she clenched her fists. That is, until someone gently nudged her from behind.

“Uh...you know when the cross-walk sign is green you can go, right?”

Annie turned her head slowly at the sound, fixing the person who’d dared to speak to her with a cold, vicious stare. The unsuspecting victim recoiled and hurried forward, leaving Annie to stew in peace.

She remained across the street while she watched as the girl stooped down and opened the case she had with her, pulling out a black acoustic guitar. Annie sneered at how pretentious the girl seemed. A black guitar to match her perfect black hair, because a regular acoustic guitar would have thrown off her image or something, Annie guessed. She wore a dark grey utility jacket over her maroon hoodie, and (of course) black converse shoes with dark skinny jeans. Annie figured she was probably some uppity music major, and, upon seeing a free corner, decided to push her mediocre playing on the unsuspecting public.

The more Annie scrutinized her, the more irritated she became, and she slammed the crosswalk button (which had already been pressed by someone else) and stalked towards the girl, dropping her backpack with loud thud in front of her.

“You need to move.”

When the girl most definitely didn’t move, and instead looked lazily up at Annie through her bangs before returning her attention back to her guitar, Annie was shocked. Had she not heard her? Usually, on the rare occasion Annie spoke to someone, they’d listen to her. Though she wasn’t imposing physically (fancy language for being short) she was known among her classmates as someone who was harsh and uncompromising; the very last person they’d want to work with on a group project. She’d even heard a rumor once that she’d dislocated a classmate’s shoulder for attempting to delegate work to her in a project, a rumor she quite enjoyed. They didn’t know that she adopted her cold persona to limit social interaction and keep people at a comfortable distance, but she preferred not to explain herself. That way more ridiculously fearsome rumors would arise about her and she could reap the benefits without having to lift a finger. Needless to say, with the kind of reputation she had, when Annie told someone to move, they’d move. Except, apparently, this girl.

Annie stood with her arms crossed, watching as the girl plucked a few strings and turned the tuning pegs to adjust their sound.

“Don’t you have a music room you could do this in?”

Finally the girl stopped, tossing her head to move her bangs out of her vision. Annie’s heart stuttered momentarily as she took in the girl’s slate-colored eyes, their shape pronounced by naturally long eyelashes and a thin smudge of charcoal liner along her top lids.

Her lips, painted a faint bubblegum pink, curled into a frown.

“You don’t own this corner. It’s a public space.”

Annie didn’t budge. “A public space that I have sat in every single day for the entire semester, 6:00 PM to 6:40 PM.”

The girl didn’t respond, instead choosing to survey Annie from her head to her toes. Suddenly Annie felt insecure about her clothes, wondering if maybe she should have chosen something more intimidating rather than the outfit she had on. Her all black ensemble of shorts, tights, high top sneakers and button up cardigan over a muted blue zip-up hoodie didn’t scream “don’t fuck with me” as loudly as a leather jacket and combat boots would have. Then again, she didn’t think she’d be forced to pick a fight over something so stupid today.

Annie tapped her foot impatiently. “If you’re done appraising me, you can leave now.”

One corner of the girl’s mouth turned up into a slight smile as she lifted an eyebrow. “We can both sit here, you know.”

“And listen to you play that thing? No thanks.”

The girl shrugged and strummed a chord, humming softly to herself. She adjusted the tuning pegs again, and, after a moment, began playing a tune, seemingly pleased with the sound.

Annie was _beyond_ irritated with the girl’s indifference. Well, fine. If she was going to be whatever about it, so would Annie. She pulled out her phone and saw that she still had about twenty minutes until the bus came, and picked up her backpack, settling a few paces away from the girl.

She rummaged around in her backpack noisily, hoping to throw the girl off, but she kept on playing without a hitch, smiling softly to herself after she nailed a particularly tricky riff.

Annie pulled out the book she had been looking for but instead of reading it, she found herself watching the girl’s nimble fingers as they flitted across the guitar strings, pressing and strumming and sliding to create the most entrancing music Annie had heard in a long time.

 _Dammit_.

She was good.

Passerbys seemed to agree too as a few would meander, taking in the sounds and even placing a few bills in her guitar case after listening for a while.

It seemed as if time stopped when Annie watched her play; she wasn’t sure if the girl was making up the music as she went, but to Annie it sounded like some kind of symphony crafted from deep within her soul. She watched as the girl’s chest rose and fell in time to the beat, mesmerized as her eyes closed in concentration, her lips parting and drawing in a quick breath when she’d change time. Sometimes, she’d tap the guitar lightly with her strumming hand, keeping rhythm during an upbeat tune. She didn’t look up from her guitar once, Annie noticed, as her own book lay forgotten next to her bag.

Annie almost missed her bus that day.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day Mikasa saw that the blonde girl was already at the corner she’d played at yesterday. Mikasa watched her as she fished a book out of her backpack, thinking about how indignant she’d seemed that Mikasa had dared to sit in her spot. But despite her clear annoyance, Mikasa had noticed that the girl hadn’t looked away from her once she’d started playing her guitar. She’d known better than to meet the girl’s eyes as she played, because she knew she’d look away instantly. But Mikasa had found that she’d rather liked having the cute, angry blonde’s attention on her.

That’s why she’d returned today, but it seemed, as she approached the girl, that she was not welcome despite her seemingly well-received performance the day prior.

When Mikasa put down her guitar case, the girl glanced up scathingly. “Why are you back here?”

“To play guitar.”

The girl closed her eyes, looking as if a crushing migraine had befallen her. “Can’t you go somewhere else?”

Mikasa frowned, standing her ground. “No. This is a nice spot.”

The girl scoffed, shaking her head as if Mikasa had just deeply patronized her by informing her that the sky was blue. “Yeah, I know. I discovered it.”

Mikasa briefly thought about mentioning how entranced the girl had looked yesterday when she’d played, but thought better of it. She was already on thin ice for apparently intruding on her privately (publicly) owned sidewalk corner. Instead she brushed her off, settling a few feet away from her. “Well, I’m staying. If you don’t like it, feel free to leave or put in headphones or something.”

She thought she heard the blonde mumble something about Mikasa being the one who should leave, but she turned back to her book after giving Mikasa a horribly malevolent look.

Mikasa settled onto the sidewalk, getting right to work tuning her guitar. As she became absorbed in twisting the pegs to achieve the right sound, she didn’t notice a few people had already gathered in anticipation of her playing. She was surprised, and flattered, but she couldn’t help but wonder how the girl next to her was going to take to even more people crowding her space.

She stole a glance and could see that the girl was seething, her jaw clenched as she maintained an iron grip on her book.

Maybe Mikasa _should_ move. Her presence was clearly bothering the girl...but the obstinate part of Mikasa was winning her internal battle. Afterall, she had told the girl she was free to move and/or put in headphones if she was _that_ put off by Mikasa’s presence.

Mikasa was going to play, whether she liked it or not.

She plucked her guitar pick out from it’s spot between her teeth and let it glide across the strings, satisfied with the clean sound it produced. Feeling energetic, she began to strike up a snappy melody, her fingertips flitting up and down the fingerboard of the guitar.

The crowd that had gathered nodded their heads in sync with the music, some students even yelled their praise or flashing a thumbs up as they strolled by.

All of this, of course, seemed to drive the blonde girl further and further up the wall. Mikasa turned her head slightly and saw that she had put her book away, instead apparently choosing to engage each and every one of Mikasa’s spectators in a personal staring death match.

Mikasa fought back a chuckle, admiring her audacity. She feared for those on the receiving end of that look. Deciding to match the girl’s mood, she transitioned into a slower, darker sound. She played deliberately clipped and harsh chords, allowing the minor key notes to reverberate throughout the street menacingly.

A few of the students watching exchanged glances at the sudden change in tone. Eyebrows raised in confusion, the crowd slowly began to disperse. Mikasa noticed that the blonde girl’s expression relaxed every time someone left. Encouraged, she kept up her melancholic solo stint until there was no one left but the girl. Sensing the blonde’s eyes shift to her, Mikasa settled into a soft melody, the notes light and airy as she trickled down scales like rain patters on a window. She’d played something similar yesterday, and hoped it would affect the girl like it had before.

If not, Mikasa made a promise to herself that she would never bother the girl again.

Her fingers faltered as she struggled to make the notes connect, searching for an inspiration for her next melody. Her mind drifted to the blonde beside her, of how she looked yesterday in the winter dusk. Her impossibly light blue eyes shone like a thin sheet of ice over a sparkling body of water, the fair wisps of soft blonde hair framing her face. Though there had been steady winds that night, the occasional gusts that swept past them didn’t seem to affect her steady stare.

 

_F#._

 

The curve of her nose pronounced as she lost herself in her book, her features gentle and peaceful despite the concentrated furrow of her brow.  

 

_F#._

 

 _C#_.

 

Her presence, domineering yet tranquil, composed and sure of herself. Mikasa was irrevocably drawn to her...the quiet but strong pull she felt towards her, sensing a similar soul and nature to her own.

 

_D#m._

 

_B._

 

_F._

 

“HEY!”

 

Mikasa stopped abruptly, her eyes wide in alarm. She turned sharply to see the girl looking slightly apologetic.

“Sorry. I called you like, four times but you were in a trance or something.”

Mikasa thought it best to not mention that she was the reason.

“Yeah. Sorry.”

The blonde scratched the back of her head, not meeting Mikasa’s eyes. “Yeah. So...my bus is here but I just wanted to say even though I hate you stealing my spot, you’re really good at guitar.”

She got up then, hurrying to her bus before Mikasa could have a chance to reply. Which was probably for the better; Mikasa hadn’t figured out what to say even after the bus was long gone.

_She likes my playing._

It was a simple compliment, yet Mikasa couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride and a flutter in the pit of her stomach at the words.

 

As she packed up her guitar, she realized, idly, that she didn’t even know the girl’s name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so those guitar chords were meant to be the chorus of Dua Lipa's song Homesick. I immediately got Mikaani vibes when I first heard it.


	3. Chapter 3

For the first three days of the week before winter vacation, Mikasa was sick. On those days she stayed in her dorm, a wad of tissue crumpled in her fist as she lay on her bunk, wondering if the girl was waiting for her at the corner at 6:00 PM.   **  
**

Maybe she was happy that she wasn’t there...but the optimistic part of Mikasa hoped that the girl missed her. Because Mikasa surely missed _her_ , wishing she could sit beside her and play music despite the frigid temperatures. The lack of dialogue between the two didn’t bother Mikasa; the dissipation of whatever hostility the girl originally harbored towards her gave Mikasa enough encouragement to keep coming back. And besides, she missed seeing her pretty blue eyes.

“I hate being sick,” Mikasa mumbled, sitting up a bit and resting her back on her pillow. She watched as her roommate, Sasha, tore apart her side of the room in search of a homework assignment.

“Maybe you should have thought twice before embarking on your outdoor Winter concert series,” Sasha joked and winced as she heard a snap, and looked down to see two broken pens beneath her boot, another casualty of her quest. “Also, I’m surprised Annie even lets you hang around there with her.”

Mikasa’s heartbeat skipped. “Annie?”

_Annie. So that’s her name._

Sasha heaved a pile of blankets across the room. “Yeah. I have a lecture with her. She’s someone you really don’t want to mess with. But I guess that could also apply to you too.”

“Hmm…” Mikasa bit her lip to keep from smiling at learning her name. _Annie._ _I like it. It suits her._

“Maybe I should go out and play today,” Mikasa started, one foot out of her bed before Sasha stepped across the room and promptly pushed her back into her bed.

“Absolutely not. The only thing you will be doing for the rest of today is resting, and drinking hot tea which I will make for you before I leave,” Sasha instructed. “Actually, I’ll make your tea right now since I’m about to just go - I don’t see my homework assignment anywhere. Now that I think about it, there’s a high chance I didn’t even do it in the first place, so...I’ll be right back!”

After flashing Mikasa a bright smile, Sasha disappeared with a mug to go fetch some hot water.

As soon as the door closed, Mikasa sighed, thinking about Annie. She was worried that she would think Mikasa didn’t want to sit with her anymore...after all, counting today it would be three days that she hadn’t shown. She didn’t want Annie to mistake her absence for a dislike of her...and, on the small chance that Annie was worried about her, she wanted to let her know she was okay. But how?

She _could_ leave the dorm room and go outside after Sasha left. But that would risk prolonging her cold. Plus, she didn’t want to get Annie sick either.

She could stalk Annie on social media and message her, but as soon as the idea materialized she realized it would be beyond creepy. Since she only knew Annie’s first name, she’d really have to do some digging, a process which would brand Mikasa a definite weirdo, and sure to end whatever relationship she had with Annie permanently.

Perhaps...perhaps she could ask Sasha to give her a message, since she would be passing Annie’s corner on her way to her class. All she would have to do is pass Annie a note.

Knowing her roommate would be back any moment with her tea, Mikasa fumbled around the side of her bed and stuck her hand into her backpack, ruffling the contents around before fishing out a notebook. She grabbed a pen from her nightstand and began scrawling her note to Annie:

> _Annie,_
> 
> _It’s Mikasa (guitar girl). I’ve had a bad cold, so that’s why I haven’t been outside with you. I’ll be there tomorrow though with my guitar._
> 
> _See you tomorrow (if you will be there, if not I hope you have a good vacation)._
> 
> _-Mikasa_

Giving it a once over, Mikasa nodded, satisfied, and folded the note up into a neat square just as Sasha returned.

“Here we go! One cup of nice hot tea with a little bit of lemon,” Sasha put a napkin down on Mikasa’s nightstand before placing the mug of tea on top of it. “I also ran into Historia in the common room and told her to bring you up some soup at 6:30. Since I will be having the life drained out of me in my lecture at that time.”

“Thanks, Sasha. Could you also do another favor for me?” Mikasa held out the note which Sasha took, her expression curious. “Can you give this to Annie for me on your way to class? She’ll be at the corner where she always is between 6:00 and 6:40.”

Sasha raised an eyebrow. “I have so many questions right now but yes, I can definitely do that for you. You owe me a bag of chips though. I’ll see you later then, Mikasa! Oh, and make sure to log out of my Netflix account if you watch TV so you don’t mess up my queue.”

Mikasa nodded, knowing how serious Sasha was about her TV programs. “No problem. Thanks again!”

Sasha saluted her with a smile and stuffed the note in her pocket, slinging her backpack onto her shoulder before dashing out of the room.

Taking a sip of her tea, Mikasa closed her eyes as the warm liquid soothed her throat. Tomorrow, she would definitely be better. And she would definitely be at the corner with her guitar, ready to play. Ready to see Annie.

Situating herself amongst a nest of blankets, Mikasa browsed through the descriptions of a few shows before settling on an anime about a normal girl who is offered a contract to become a magical girl and fight witches in exchange for having a wish granted.

It was interesting enough, but Mikasa’s mind kept drifting to Annie, to the complicated mystery yet undeniable solace that emanated from the other girl. Soon Mikasa became to feel warm and comfortable, and the characters on screen began to grow fuzzy.

Thinking of soft blonde hair and calm eyes, Mikasa dozed off to an easy sleep.

* * *

“Mikasa, wake up!”

Sasha gently shook Mikasa’s shoulder until the black haired girl’s eyes fluttered open groggily.

“Hmm? What time is it?”  The Netflix screen was frozen on the “Still Watching?” message, and Mikasa realized she must have fallen fast asleep.

“A little after 7:15. I’m gonna shower quick and then I’ll make you some soup; Historia texted me saying you were out cold when she checked on you so she didn’t want to wake you up,” Sasha explained, unearthing her shower caddy beneath a tower of hooded sweatshirts. “I’ll be back soon.”

Sasha started walking towards the door but stopped abruptly, rummaging around in her pocket.

“Almost forgot! I did give your note to Annie, and she made me wait like, 5 minutes so she could stop in the convenience store for whatever reason and get this for you. Now I’m even more curious. Do you guys have something going on? I need details when I get back," Sasha said, winking to Mikasa before tossing the small envelope her way.

The envelope landed lightly on Mikasa’s bed and she studied it curiously, waiting until Sasha left before she quickly teared it open. A handful of cough drops wrapped in shiny red cellophane and four sachets of green tea fell out from the note and onto her lap. Mikasa began to smile as she read the hastily scratched note from Annie:

> _Mikasa - i hope you feel better. see you tomorrow._
> 
> _Annie_

So she _did_ care, at least a little bit. And a little bit meant a lot to Mikasa. Mikasa clutched the note in her hand and looked at the items Annie had gotten her. Her heart swelled with the thoughtfulness behind Annie’s actions as she placed the cough drops and tea on her nightstand. They would definitely come in handy for preventing any lingering scratches in her throat and causing an embarrassing coughing attack in the lecture hall tomorrow.

Thinking of tomorrow, she wondered, idly, how she was going to get through the day waiting for 6:00 PM to come around. She’d make sure her guitar was tuned and ready, and she’d put everything she had into her playing to make up for lost time. Through her melodies, she’d say thank you to Annie. She’d show her that she missed her, that she wanted to see her more than the short time they had before Annie had to leave for her bus. She hoped she possessed enough musical ability to articulate all of that through her playing. If not, well, then maybe she’d just have to talk to Annie, a thought that caused her stomach to flutter.

_Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing._

Mikasa heard the door handle rattle, signaling Sasha's return and tucked the note from Annie under her pillow. She closed her eyes then, pretending to be asleep so she wouldn’t have to explain to her curious roommate how she was falling for a girl she barely even knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mikasa was watching Madoka Magica LOL


End file.
